Amazon has lifted the lid on its top secret laboratory in Cambridge – which has been developing drones to deliver packages to people's homes.

In a world exclusive, the News was given a tour of their workshop today in Castle Park, just off Castle Street, along with eight children from the Year 5 class at Steeple Morden School.

We were shown around the laboratory which has been nestled just a stone's throw from the city centre unbeknown to the general public for several years.

The internet retail giant is developing its Prime Air service, where drones will safely deliver packages to people's homes in under 30 minutes.

14/10/16 World exclusive tour of Amazon's Prime Air labs 14/10/16 Amazon's Prime Air labs tour with students from Steeple Morden Primary School. (Image: David Johnson)

Cambridge is home to the largest outdoor testing facility in the UK and is one of a number of testing sites in the country along with laboratories in Austria, Israel and the US.

Kristen Kish, corporate communications for Prime Air, told the News: “We're continuing to do more and more in Cambridgeshire. It's continuing to be an area of significance and importance for Amazon. We want to get the talent and want to encourage science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with students here, it's just so important we're promoting that science.

“The community is so important to us. We're continuing to expand our opportunities here and wanted to bring people in.

14/10/16 World exclusive tour of Amazon's Prime Air labs 14/10/16 Amazon's Prime Air labs tour with students from Steeple Morden Primary School. (Image: David Johnson)

“We love the UK, we have a really strong base here in the UK and a lot of opportunity here, our customers are fantastic. Cambridge is a hub of innovation, it has a long history of doing amazing things. For us it really made good sense – there is fantastic talent here too."

The school children, whose names were drawn out of hat for the tour by their teacher David Beaven, were shown drone prototypes in the first tour of its kind in the world.

They were given the chance to use a drone simulator and shown drone components including different types of batteries and wing prototypes before flying actual drones.

14/10/16 World exclusive tour of Amazon's Prime Air labs 14/10/16 Amazon's Prime Air labs tour with students from Steeple Morden Primary School. (Image: David Johnson)

In July the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) lifted strict drone flying restrictions to enable Amazon to start testing its drones which include testing sensor performance to make sure the drones can identify and avoid obstacles.

Cambridge's workshop also has 3D printing technology which allows it to make parts needed for the drone much quicker.

Packages that weigh just over 2kg will be delivered – which make up 87 per cent of the items Amazon sells – and can be delivered as far as 15 miles.

14/10/16 World exclusive tour of Amazon's Prime Air labs 14/10/16 Amazon's Prime Air labs tour with students from Steeple Morden Primary School. (Image: David Johnson)

The drone uses GPS coordinates to find its delivery destination and will fly to a maximum height of 400ft before identifying a marker for it to land and deliver the package using a 'sense and avoid' system.

They will be automated but will each be watched by a safety operator who will eventually watch many at the same time once their safety has been proven.

“If there are any obstacles that are in the way like a tree, through its sense and avoid system it can navigate around those," said Kristen.

14/10/16 World exclusive tour of Amazon's Prime Air labs 14/10/16 Amazon's Prime Air labs tour with students from Steeple Morden Primary School. (Image: David Johnson)

“There are those unexpected obstacles that can roll in unexpected, if it's started to land then it goes straight up again.

“We would rather not deliver the package then risk the safety. Any data we have is to only going to be used for safety."

The company is keeping tight lipped about when the service will begin, but said they will not launch it until they are “able to demonstrate safe operations".

14/10/16 World exclusive tour of Amazon's Prime Air labs 14/10/16 Amazon's Prime Air labs tour with students from Steeple Morden Primary School. (Image: David Johnson)

“We think customers will love it. But this is not the only thing we do," added Kristen. “Amazon customers have choice. It's ultimately going to depend on customer demand.

“If it's a service they want to use great but we're going to give them options."